Ho model



A No. 752,139.

PATLNTLL PEB. 16, 190g. W'. (LYOUNG ai J. MGMLHUN.`

TROLLEY GATCHLR. APPLIO-ATION FILED JUNE 1, 1903.

2 SHEETS-'SHEET 2.

No MODEL.

. ....LPM

- the trolley and the catcher.

e 'UNITED 'STATES Patented February 16, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. YOUNG AND JOHNSTON 'MchflAl-ION, OF BUFFALO,

NEW YORK.-

TROLLEY-CATCHER.

Vsencinnamon forming pm of Letters Patent No. 752,139, dated February' 1e, 1904.

Application nea June 1,1903. serai No. 159,463. (Numan.)

To all wiz/om t may concern:

Beit known that we,Wn.LIAM @Yonne and JOHNSTON McMAHom'citizens of the United States, and residents of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trolley- Catchers, of which .the following is specilication.'

This invention relates to trolley-catchers which operate to pull the trolley downwardly below its normal position when the same upon leaving the trolley-wire moves upwardly above its normal position, thereby preventing the trolley from engaging with the'overhead supf ports and `injuring the same.'

The object of this invention is to produce a trolley-catcher of this character which is reliable in operation' and simple and durable in construction and vwhich cankbe easily set or put in operative condition.

In the accompanying drawings.' consisting of twosheetspFigure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a car equipped with 'our improved trolley-catcher. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section of the same, on anenlarged scale, showing the position of the parts when the catcher is, ready for use. Y Fig. 3 is a similar view'taken at right anglesto Fig.' 2 and showing the Aposition ofthe parts when the catcher has pulled the trolley downwardly. Fig. 4 is a section similar'to Fig, 2, showing a slight modification in the construction of the trolley-catcher. Figs. 5 and 6 are horizontal sections in line 5 6, Fig. 2, looking in opposite directions. Figs` 7 and 8 are hori- Zontal sections in the correspondingly-numbered lines in Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is afragmentary vertical section of the bracket which supports the lower end of the standard of the trolley-catcher. Fig. 10 is a top 'plan view of the guide'on the roof of the oar which controls the position of the trolleyrre'pe between Similar letters of reference indicate correspending parts vthroughout', the several views.

A represents an upright standard, which is preferably of cylindrical or, tubular form.' This standard is seated at its lower end in a socket or seat b, formed, in a 'bracket B, secured to the bumper c or lowerpart of the car C, while its upper part isfsecured to the vestibule or other, available part of .the `car by means of a loop voi band d, embracing the y standard and secured at its ends to the car. The lower end of the standard is detachably 5-5 secured in its socket, preferably by means of a cross-piu e, extending diametrically through4 'the' standard and engaging its ends which projectv from opposite sides of the standard with undercut slots'd',` formed fin the sides of 66 the socket. For the purpose of securing the standard in the socket of the bracket the same is lowered with the ends of'its pins in the vertical parts of the slots d and then turned horizontally, so that` these ends engage the 65 horizontal. parts of said slots, whereby' the standard is locked against vertical movement. This means of detachably connecting the lower en'd of the 'standardwith #the car enables the same catcher to be employed at either end of -7 the car by providing a bracket for receiving the standard at both ends of the car. Y At its upper end the standard is provided4 withv a top plate orcap F, which is connected with the upper end of the standard by a plurality 75 Y I ofvertical arms f, forming side openings f2 A between said arms, which aiord access to the and its top plate. v

G represents a main spring, which is oper- 8o atively lconnected with'the rope g of tbe trolley-pole'H' and which' upon contracting exerts a downward pull upon thetrolley for de- -pressing' the same. below its normalposition. p

This mainspring preferably has the form of a 85 space between the upper end of the standard.

coil, which' is arranged within the standard and securedat its lower end to the cross-'pin e. At its upper end the main spring is-secured` to a center piece z', which hasel vertical4 coupling-boltl passing centrally through the same. 9o J represents a carrier or y'oKe arranged transversely above the -coupling-bolt'and connected-centrally on its lower side with the latter by means of a link j or.otherwise. Centrally on its-upper side the yoke isl provided 95 with a pulley j. The trolleyrope g passes around this pulley` and is secured at one end to ancye f' on the underside ofthe'top'plate. while `itsotlier end passes upwardly tb rough an opening f s in said top plate; UnduewearA 100 upon the trolley-rope is prevented as it passes back and forth through the opening f3 by means of guide-rollers-s k, which are mounted on the under side of the top-plate adjacent to its opening and which receive the trolley-rope between them. v

L L represent two latches, whereby the main spring is heldin its distended or expanded condition preparatory Lto pulling the trol-1f ley downwardly. These latches are Ipivoted at opposite ends of the yoke, so as to turn in ayertical plane by means' of pins Z, and each latch is provided on its outerside with adownwardly-projecti'ng shoulder m, a guide-tail m projecting below said shoulder and a fingerpiece m2 projecting above said shoulder. In the normal or operative position of the latches their shoulders are inY their outermost position and engage-with the annular shoulder n, formed by the upper edge of the tubular standad. In the inoperative position of the latches t eir shoulders lare-in their innermost position andiclear the shoulder/.on the standard; When free, the latches are moved into their inoperative position-by means of a spring o, which preferably connects the same below their pivots. n

For the purpose of setting-the trolley-catcher preparatory to running the car the trolleyrope is rst pulled upwardly' through the top plate until. the nger-pieces of the latches are 'opposite the side openings of the standard and their shoulders are in position to be engaged with the shoulder of the standard. During this movement of the latches and the trolley-rope the main spring is distended or expanded, the power tl .s stored up in the -same being subsequently utilized for pulling the trolley below its normal position. lWhile the latches are in an elevated position the attendantfby reaching through the side openings f2 presses the finger-pieces of the latches toward each other, so as to carry the shoulders of the same outwardly over the shoulder of the standard. At the same time the trolley-rope is slackened, causing the tnin spring to pull .the latches 1downwardly while in their projected y position until their shoulders engage With'that of the standard, as-,shown in Fig. 2. During the normal operation of the trolley ,thei latches remain in engagement with the standard and hold the mainspring in a distended condition, notwithstanding that the spring o tends constantly to turn the latches -inwardly for retracting their shoulders from the standard. This is due to the fa'ct that the pull of the main spring far exceeds the pull of the retracting-spring o, causing the latches to ,be-held frictionallyin engagement with the standard and overcomingthe eect of the re:` .tracting-spring 0. The vparts remain in this position aslong as the'trolley remains on the e'ij'erhead wire z andthe extent of its vvertical .movement isjwithin .normal limits. the trolley leaves the wire and moves above Vthe normal limit, the same vexerts a pull or jerk on the rope, which has the eeet of slightly raising the yoke, together with the latches and main spring connected therewith. The instant said parts are thus raised the latches t are released'fromfrictionalcontact Withthe standard and .are turned bythe spring o 1n Y the directionl for retracting .their` shoulders inwardly out of engagement from that of` the.

standard. When this occurs, the main spring is released, permitting the same to contract,

owing to its resilience, into the position shown in Fig. 3. While the main'spring movesinto its contracted position, the pulley j' pulls the' trolley-rope downwardly and carries the trolley connected therewith below its normal position.

In pressing the finger-pieces of the latches together the movement'of 'the latches in this direction is limited Iby coperating Astop-` shonlders p, formed on the latches, and the are stopped when their shoulders are arranged enabling the'catcher to be easily set without requiring special care. I n tered in the standard for causing their shoulstandard by means of the tails engaging with the inner side of the standard. The outer sides-q of these tails are curved downwardlycatches 'While in a projected position'v the catches are guided so that their shoulders properly engage that ofthe standard. It will be observed that when once ,the latches are disengaged rom the standard the main spring is positively lreleased and is certain to act, because the latches' are retained in their retracted position until they are again restored by hand into working position. In order to prevent the main spring from being stretched' too far and the parts connected therewith from being raised too high, a stop device is provided which limits this movement. This stop device preferably consists of a flexible chain or rope r, arranged within the main spring and connected at its lower end to the cross-pin e and at its upper end to the geupling-bolt I. This stop-,rope is ofA such length that it is somewhat slacky when the latches are in engagement with the shoulder of the standard in the operative condition of the catcher. When the trolley-rope pulls the yoke and'cpnnecting parts upwardly, its Inovement isl arrested when ,the slack in the stopropehas bn exhausted. By this means the pull 'of the trolley-rope is Vprevented from latches up against the top "plate, and undue In order toprevent a sudden jar upon the catcher when the trolley leaves the wire, a retarding device is provided which checks the upward movementof the parts within the straining of the main spring is also prevented'.

yoke, which are so arranged that the latches above the shoulder of the standard, thereby The latches-are cenders to properly' engage the shoulder of the I `and inwardly, so that 'upon lowering the drawing the parts so high as to draw the` u, secured side by side at their innerends to the edge of the car-roof, forming an eye bef; tweenthem. 'lheireeendsofthespring-arms standard. This retarding device preferably consists of a'cup-shaped or dished piston s, of leather or other flexible material, securedcentrally to the upper end of the main spring, f 'with its concave side facingupwardly and engaging its periphery with the interioror bore of the standard. The piston is preferably lsecured in place between upper and lower washers t t', which are firmly turned against opthe standard and retard its upward'movement' and the parts connected therewith. During thel downward vmovement of the piston its marginal portion moves freely downward through the standard, vowing to Vits dished shape, there-v by offering'but slight resistance to the main spring and enablingpractically the full power of the latter to be expended in pulling the trolleyrpoledownwardly. This retarding-pisL raising the mainspring and resetting the trolley-catcher, Vbecause theV same can be pulled slowly upward with .comparative ease, but affords considerable resistance when: pulled up Upon the end ofthe car-roof adjacent to the trolley-rope the same is provided with a guide which controlsthe position of the intermedi ate part ofA- the trolley-rope. This guide, as shown in Fig. 10, consists of two spring-arms Y are curvedto permit of easily springing the trolley-rope into and out of the space between the'eyes. For the purpose of reducing thel friction in the rope-guide the latter is provided with a roller c, Whichis pivoted transversely between the inner ends of the spring'- arms. As the trolley rises 'and falls its rope runs on the rear side of-` the roller c, and undue wear of the same or the guide is thus avoided. In the construction of the trolley-catcher shown in Fig. -4 thetop plateis omitted and the trolley-rope is attached. `directly to the yoke. Furthermore, the retarding device is 'omitted and the main spring and stop-rope are connected to the link on the lower side ofthe yoke. l 'We claim as our invention having a shoulder, aspring for retraetingthe trolley secured at .its lixed end vto the' standard;

a detent device connected with 'the movable 6e end of the spring and constructed to engage Vsaid shoulderv forAholding the spring in a strained condition, and -i means operating to disengage the detent from said shoulder indef pendently of the pull which is exerted by the '65 trolley, ysubstantially as .set forth.

tondoes not prevent the attendant fromagain. 'main spring for pulling the vtrolley downl. A trolley-catcher comprising standard' 2. A trolley-catcher comprising a' standard provided with a shoulder, a main spring for pulling the trolley downwardly secured at one end to said standard, alatch connected with Y, the other end of said-spring and constructed 7 to engage said shoulder injthe normal operation of the trolley, and a retracting spring which `constantly tends to withdraw said latch fromk said shoulder independently of the pull of the trolley, substantially as set forth.

3.- A trolley-catchercomprising a standard provided at its upper end withl a shoulder, la main spring for pulling the trolley .downg wardly secured at its lower` end to the lower end vof said standard, a yoke secured to the 30 upper end of Vthe main spring and receiving thefpull of the trolley, a ,latch pivoted'on the o yoke and-constructedto engage said shoulder,

and a retracting-spring for disengaging the y Klatch from said shoulderoperating independ-- wardly secured at itslower end toy the .lower end of vsaid standard, a yoke secured to the upper end of the main spring and receiving the pull of the trolley, a latch pivoted on said l yoke and provided with ashoulder adapted to engage with the shoulder of said standard, said latch being free to swing inwardly but its outward movement being limited b'y'coper-` `ating stop-faces on the latch and yoke, and-av spring for retracting said latch intoan inop# IGO` erative position, substantially as set forth;

5. A trolley-catcher comprisinga standard provided at its upper'end with a shoulder, a main spring for pulling the trolley down- -wardly secured at its lowerjend to the lower len'dosaid standard, a yoke secured to the upper end of the main spring andreceiving the pull of the trolley, a latch VApivoted on'. the

yoke and providedwith'afshoulder coperating with the shoulder of the standardl and with a finger-piece, and a spring for retracting said latch, substantially as set forth.

6. A trolley-catcher comprising a standard provided at its upper end with'a shoulder, a'-

main spring for pulling the trolley' downffHY-S:

wardly secured at .its lower end to thelower end of said standard, a yoke securedk `to `the upper end of the main spring and receiving the p ull of the trolley, a latch pivoted on the yoke and provided with ashoulder coperat- 129 ing with the shoulder of the standard, a down- `wardly-projecting-guide-tailand an upwardly` projecting Vlinger-piece, and a Vspring for Vrev tractng the latch, substantially as sctvgforth.

7. A trolley-catcher comprising atandard' 125 y provided at its upper end withe4 shoulder, a."

main spring for pulling the trolley downwardly secured at its lower endto the lowerA end lof* saidy standard, a yoke secured tothe upper end of the main spring and receivingthe I3? ,-latch, substantially set forth.-

pull of the trolley, a latch pivoted on the yoke and provided with a shoulder cooperating with the shoulder of the standard, a downwardly' projecting taif having a curved guide-face on its outer side and an upwardly-proJectmg finger-piece, and a spring for retracting the 8. A trolley-catcher comprising a standard having a shoulder at its upper end, a main Aspring for retract-ing the trolley secured at lts lower end to the lower end of the standard, a

n having av shoulder at its upper end, a main spring for retracting the trolley secured at its lower end to the lower end of the standard, a yoke rec'eivingthe pull of the trolley and connected centrally with the upper end of the mainspring, latches pivoted at opposite ends of the yoke and each l constructed to engage said shoulder, and a spring for disengaging said latches from said shoulder operating independently of the stantially as 'set fori:

10. Atrolley-catcher comprising a standard having a shoulder at its upper end, a main spring for retracting the trolley secured at its lower end to the lower end of the standard, a yoke which receives the pull of the trolley connected centrally tothe upper end of the main spring, -latches pivoted at opposite ends of the yoke and each providedwith a shoulder constructed to engage the shoulder of the stand'- ard, a downwardly-projecting guide-tail and an upwardly-project`ing fingen-piece, and a spring connecting the tails of both latches and operatingto'disengage the latches from the hoillder of the standard, substantially as set 11. A trolleycatcher colnprising a tubular standard having a shoulder and side openings at its upper end, a main spring for retracting the trolley arrangedin the standar-'il and connected thereto at itslower end, a yoke receiving the pull of the trolley secured ro the upper end of-the main spring, latches f )r engaging a shoulder on the'upper end of the standard mounted on the yoke and provided with iinger-pieces normally arranged opposite the openings in the standard,and a spring for retractingsaidr latches into an inoperative position, and operating independently of the pull of the trolley, substantially as set forth. l

l 12. A trolleycatcher comprising a standard, a main spring for retracting the trolley secured at its lower end to the-standard and operatively connected altits upper end with the trolley -rope,.a. latch for, holding thefmain pull of the trolley, ,sub-

springin a distended condition, and a stop device for limiting the distending movement of said spring, substantial-ly as set forth.

13. A trolley-catcher comprising a standard, a main spring for reti-acting the trolley se cured at its lower end to the standard and opfrom opposite sides thereof, and a socket ref ceiving the lower end of the standard and provided in its side with= bayonet or undercut slots which receive the ends of said pin, substantially as set forth. l

15. A trolley-catcher comprising-a tubular standard, a main spring for retracting the trolley arranged within the standard and secured thereto at its lower end while its upper end is operatively conne'ctedwiththe trolley,

a latch connected with the upper end of said spring and constructed to 'engage with the standard for holding the spring in a disten ded condition, and a device for retarding the diste'nding movement ofthe spring, substantially as set forth. i

16. A trolleycatcher, vcomprising a tubular standard, a main spring for-retracting the trolley arranged within the standardand secured thereto at its lower end while its upper end is operatively a latch connected with the upper end of said spring and constructed t engage with the standard for holding the spring in a distendedl condition, and a retarding devicev connected connected with the trolley,

with the upper end of the yspring and friction# ally engaging with the inner side of said'standard, substantially as set forth.

17. A trolley-catcher, comprising a tubular standard, a main spring for retracting the trolley arranged within the standard and secured thereto at its lower end while its upper end is operatively connected with the trolley, a latch connected with the upper end ofsaid spring and constructed to engage with the standard for holding-the spring in a distended condition, and means for retarding the dis tending movement of the spring consisting of an upwardly-dished cup of ilexible material secured to theupperend of the spring and engaging its periphery with the interior of the standard, substantially as set forth.

Witness our hands, this 29th day of May,

1903. VVILLIAIVIA C.l YOUTSG. JOHN STON MGMAHON. TVVitnesses:

E. PnAsn, A. NEAR.

IIC 

